How Much Sodium Is in a Yolk?

Egg yolks are low in sodium, but they're high in cholesterol.

Don’t eliminate sodium from your diet all together -- your body needs it for several important functions. However, do pay attention to how much you consume. You won’t get too much sodium from the egg yolk alone – most of the sodium is in the egg white. While egg yolks are low in sodium, don’t go overboard on your serving size; they’re high in cholesterol and saturated fat.

Sodium in Yolks vs. Whole Eggs

One large egg yolk, weighing 17 grams, has a minimal 8 milligrams of sodium. That's only 11 percent of the total sodium content of a whole egg. If you consume the whole egg, you’ll get 71 milligrams of sodium, which is less than 5 percent of the recommended daily maximum intake for healthy adults.

Why You Need Sodium

Sodium is a type of electrolyte that balances fluid levels throughout your body. This fluid balance allows nerve impulses to pass through cells, making your heart beat and helping your muscles function. Without enough sodium in your system, you’ll be very weak and have muscle cramps, and in severe cases, you’ll suffer from neurological problems.

Required Amount

You can have a maximum of 2,300 milligrams of sodium each day as long as you are generally healthy, states the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010. If you’re older, have diabetes, suffer from kidney failure or have high blood pressure, you’ll need to keep your intake to fewer than 1,500 milligrams daily.

The Egg Concern

One large egg yolk has 184 milligrams of cholesterol, a fatty substance that hardens arteries and elevates your risk of cardiovascular disease. Because cholesterol can be damaging when you have too much, you shouldn’t have more than 300 milligrams per day, according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010. Having two egg yolks or even two whole eggs, adds up to more than 120 percent of your cholesterol allotment for the entire day. Plus, egg yolks have 1.6 grams of saturated fat, a harmful fat that is also damaging to your heart in large amounts. No more than 10 percent of your total calories should come from saturated fat. For a 2,000-calorie diet, you’d be able to have up to 200 calories from saturated fat, or 22 grams per day. Two egg yolks would take up 15 percent of your daily saturated fat allowance.

Adding Salt

If you scramble up a couple egg yolks and then sprinkle them with salt, you’ll get even more sodium. Salt has about 2,325 milligrams of sodium in a teaspoon. Each dash of salt you sprinkle on your eggs adds another 155 milligrams of sodium. You’ll wind up with more than 325 milligrams of total sodium – or 14 percent of your daily allowance – from just two dashes of salt and two egg yolks.